In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, many of those who search for solace from mental illness draw on one or more of the three vigorous therapeutic traditions of healing to which the region is heir. Western psychiatry and its formal institutions have a long history in this region: in 1868, the Colony of Natal passed southern Africa's first 'lunacy legislation'; and in 1880, the Natal Government Asylum was opened on the Town Hill, Pietermaritzburg. Although founded on the precepts of nineteenth century liberalism, by 1910, the Pietermaritzburg Mental Hospital (as it was now known) increasingly reflected a national concern with a racialised 'mental science' and Natal psychiatry became somewhat marginalized within a broader network of national asylum administration. During World War 1, too, the white citizens of Pietermaritzburg sought to have future expansion of the asylum halted, and its inmates hidden from public view. Although the story of Western psychiatry in Natal and Zululand is important for any history of mental illness in South Africa, in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, colonial psychiatry had relatively limited significance for the majority of people. Since the nineteenth century, African understandings of and treatments for illness have proved especially resilient, interacting with and at times adopting - and adapting - elements of Western biomedicine, as well aspects of healing strategies whose origins lie in Indian concepts of health and medicine first brought with indentured workers from the 1860s. For whites, as well as for Africans and Indians, committal to the asylum came, most typically, at the end of a lengthy quest to find a cure for mental illness. Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, other sectors of healing proved to be remarkably flexible, offering new explanations for apparently new forms of illness - including insanity - that accompanied the political, economic and social upheavals of the time, as well as producing new therapies, strategies, and specialists to meet them. It is this variety of responses to mental illness, and ways of attempting to negotiate a path to a state of mind that might be termed 'mental health', that this dissertation traces. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

The formation of a settler elite and its role in colonial Durban's urban development between 1854 and 1910 have been studied. In this instance of early colonial capitalism, local business leaders readily established an intimate connection between economic and political power. Many of them used their position on the Durban Town Council, formed in 1854, to wield preponderant civic influence and become the driving force in the development of the town. The nature of this settler elite has been investigated in terms of the theories of social stratification, formulated along Weberian lines. Following the institutionalization of power arrangements these leading settlers were legally acknowledged as a governing elite. Durban provided the setting in which metropolitan institutions, activity patterns and environments could be introduced and maintained, as dictated by the underlying value-system of the British settlers. The colonial city of Durban hereby not only demonstrated the appearance of a civilization, but also the mutual interaction between man's behaviour and his culturally modified environment. The ruling elite regarded the beautification of the urban environment as part of their civic responsibilities in this city-building process. Such a civic pride was especially applied in Durban to the building of impressive Town Halls and public buildings. These leaders also played a decisive role with regard to harbour improvements, railways, tramways, electricity supply, telephone services and sanitary improvements. Following a historical pattern of colonial urban development, Durban became another British city in Africa. Yet it possessed local features which made it atypical, if not unique, in a South African context. The driving force and way of life of the town during the colonial period was clearly British. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1994.

Township tourism is one of the recognised ways in the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) white paper to include communities that were previously excluded from tourism. However, township tourism is non existent in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. This mini dissertation is an attempt to identify the tourism potential of Sobantu township in Pietermaritzburg in an effort to encourage development and empower the local community. The primary aims are therefore to identify tourist attractions in the township, to explore people's perceptions about tourism development and to suggest ways to link Sobantu to the established tourist destinations in the greater Pietermaritzburg area. A purposive sample of 48 respondents participated in the study. The respondents were sampled from youth organisations in Sobantu, school teachers, Pietermaritzburg Tourism, Indlovu Regional Council, community members and key people in South African Police services. Semi-structured, in depth interviews, questionnaires, focus groups and site visits were utilised as data gathering techniques based on five leading questions designed by the researcher and modified through the first two interviews used as a pilot study. Tourist attractions are examined from an ideographic perspective and a thematic approach is used to analyse peoples' perceptions. A SWOT analysis is used to explore possible linkages and to provide a clear analysis of the critical issues that need to be addressed as they could promote or hinder sustainable tourism development in the area. Results showed that the historical background, the political history, old red bricked buildings and the cultural experiences are the main tourist attractions in the township. The community has positive attitudes towards tourism development in the area and their perceptions are compatible with the principles of sustainable tourism development and the DEAT document. To overcome the identified obstacles and realize sustainable tourism development, several recommendations are made. These include, extensive tourism awareness campaigns, education and training of tour guides from the community, proper community structures and an effective marketing strategy. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1988.

This thesis examines crowds and resistance politics in Pietermaritzburg, focusing particularly on the 1950s and the 1980s. These two decades were characterised by heightened anti-apartheid political activity in South Africa. It is against that background that this thesis explores mass mobilisation and resistance in Pietermaritzburg. The 1960s and the 1970s have not been ignored, however, in this comparative analysis. It appears that there was not so much overt mass mobilisation that was taking place in South Africa during this period, on the same scale as that of the 1950s and the 1980s. This thesis analyses selected case studies of events such as protest marches, popular riots and stayaways. It examines the similarities and differences in the socioeconomic and political contexts in which such events occurred. The key aspect is that of resistance crowds. This thesis examines how, when and why resistance crowds formed in Pietermaritzburg during the two periods. It begins with a literature survey, which sets out the framework for comparison. Aspects such as the kinds of constituencies, the roles of political organisations, trade unions, church groups, youth organisations, government policies and the nature of the campaigns are raised in the literature. Drawing from that framework this study explores the socio-economic contexts in which the selected case studies took place. The way in which the changes in the socio-economic and political contexts influenced mass mobilisation forms a central theme of this dissertation. The four case studies explore crowd events in anti-apartheid politics in Pietermaritzburg. The thesis concludes with a comparative evaluation of the case studies of resistance crowds in their differing contexts. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.

The Great Depression has received relatively little attention from South African historians and economists. Most studies of the period concentrate almost exclusively on political aspects, and ignore the economic realities. Little attempt has been made to quantify and analyse the effects of the depression and drought, nor has a proper integration of these economic realities and their impact on politics been attempted. There is perhaps good reason for this. There is such a wealth of material to be digested that the task has been perceived as too daunting for a single researcher. Local or thematic studies have therefore been undertaken. This thesis is essentially a local history study which examines the effects of the Great Depression on the then province of Natal. The depression affected all areas of economic activity in the region; industry, coalmining, and both commercial and subsistence agriculture. Hardly any aspect of life was untouched. It scarred the collective consciousness of an entire generation. Under the twin onslaughts of the depression and drought, the people of Natal turned to the state for assistance. The state turned out to be a poor provider, preferring to devote its efforts to alleviating distress ' among white farmers, while forcing the major burden of relief onto the urban local authorities. Such authorities were obviously reluctant to assist anyone other than their own burgesses. Prevailing racist sentiments ensured that the major economic burden was passed onto those who could least afford to bear it, the African majority. Government policy held that Africans were expendable components of the urban work-force; when the economy shrank they were simply expected to return to their places of origin. During these years the idea that the reserves could accommodate all the "surplus" African workers was finally exploded. Isolated from the centres of power, and under intense pressure from the depression and drought, white Natalians reacted with characteristic jingoism and agitated for the secession of the province from the Union. Black politics, which had reached boiling point prior to the depression, fell into a slump, also occasioned by the prevailing economic woes. Militancy turned into co-operation. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1994.

No abstract available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1983.

The political violence and vigilante activities that characterised Natal and Zululand between 1985 and 1996 had numerous causes. The formation of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in 1983 contributed to the rise of vigilantism and political violence. The formation of the Congress of the South African Trade Union (COSATU) in 1985 compounded this situation. Both these movements were known to be sympathetic to the African National Congress (ANC), which was still banned at the time of their formation; hence they had similar objectives to the ANC. During this time, Inkatha was the only strong Black political movement in the country, and particularly in Natal and Zululand. The Inkatha movement and its leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi regarded the formation of the UDF and COSATU in 1985 as a challenge to the hegemony of Inkatha in the region, following his fall-out with the ANC leadership in exile. Local leadership of political movements, namely, UDF and COSATU on one hand and Inkatha on the other, mobilised their support-base and took arms against each other. The lifting of the State of Emergency in 1986 intensified political violence and vigilante activities in the region. The Natal Midlands’ violence saw a high number of deaths and causalities. Local communities as well such as Vulindlela suffered a great deal. Clan faction fights were characteristic of KwaShange in the period 1940s-1970s, but from the late 1980s onwards (especially 1987) political unrest and struggle against the Nationalist apartheid regime changed into conflict between Inkatha and the UDF, which gradually worsened into civil war. In the course of my previous studies in KwaShange I discovered that the violence had impacted upon families and inter-generational relationships. According to some senior residents’ thinking, a number of youths were ill disciplined. Issues of disciplining of youths had obscured the political struggle and violence, making it hard to disentangle them. When researching memories of the violence, I found that persons spoke of different incidents within this struggle period and described their violent nature and how it had impacted on families’ survival, both psychologically and physically. The interviewees kept saying that it was hard to forget the memories engendered by their horrific experiences. The South African Government was accused of secretly provoking acts of violence in Natal and Zululand and was furthermore accused of having sent IFP troops to the Caprivi in Namibia for training in guerrilla combat. The Government later acknowledged this, explaining that the Natal Legislature needed specially trained forces for its officials. The unbanning of political parties and the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 saw KwaZulu- Natal entering a new phase of random vigilante activities and violence. The security forces (the South African Police and the South African Defence Force) were accused of supporting IFP vigilantes. All this led to the “Seven Days War” in 1990 in the Midlands, particularly in KwaVulindlela. In KwaShange this violence, from 1986 until 1996, created divisions in families and the community. Many people lost their lives. All efforts to put an end to the violence and vigilantism failed. The announcement that the first democratic election in South Africa was to be held in 1994 triggered more violence in Vulindlela. Exhaustion in the area, and a national climate which promoted peace were elements which eventually brought the conflict to an end. Socially and economically, the area is still experiencing problems. Survivors and generations born during and after the turmoil talk about endless psychological and emotional suffering born during this turmoil. My contention is that trauma experienced as a result of this violence and its consequences influenced the lives of all persons affected by it, and that this was transmitted across generations, through whole families and communities. It must be realized that these people and their families were affected for a long time, and many are still traumatised. The social structure of the community has been affected by it and by implication that of successive generations will also be affected. This study describes and analyses political violence in KwaShange and investigates how it is remembered by the survivors. It also attempts to answer the question of how communities, families and individuals survived these traumatic experiences, how they coped (or failed to cope) with their experiences, both then and fifteen years after the end of violence. By focusing on KwaShange as a case study of political violence in KwaZulu-Natal, I hope to determine what was in play in the province, and find a common pattern underlying the dynamics of the conflicts. Pre-civil war divisions have not, up to the present, been confronted, and these fuelled the political affiliations that were a response to the struggle against the apartheid regime. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

On the first October, 1954 the Tomlinson Commission submitted its report to Parliament. Inter alia, it recommended that it should be the ultimate aim in the implementation of the policy of separate development of the races that as the Blacks become sufficiently advanced to manage their own affairs in their own areas, the administration of such affairs should be gradually transferred to the Blacks. In order to achieve this, it became necessary to employ Blacks in the areas to manage their own affairs where they might qualify. The Department of Development Aid and that of Education and Training therefore, collaborate with the national states to localize posts if need be or identify them for occupation by seconded officials in case they cannot be localized. The progressive localization of posts advances with self-government. There are constrains militating against the localization of posts. The main ones being the shortage of skilled manpower generally and of sufficiently qualified management personnel in the higher echelons in particular. Some problems are culture - based. For example, the inability of some Zulu civil servants to accept posts in strange and remote areas even if they are in senior positions. Since localization implies the gradual transfer of administrative decision-making it has transpired that KwaZulu civil servants are keen to localize whatever posts they possibly can localize especially in the Department of Education and Culture. The technical, medical and engineering fields are the most difficult to localize. Localization however, does not mean a mere replacement of one race with another. It means the transformation of a foreign system of administration into a local, indigenous one. The whole ethos, philosophy, system of values and procedures change from being legalistic and law enforcing. It assumes new duties of promoting, empowering and managing African development. The purpose of this thesis is to find out how far the policy of localization has been applied in KwaZulu especially in the Department of Education and Culture. It traces the fundamental assumptions and implications of localization in general, drawing on the literature available on other African countries and analyses the process in the KwaZulu civil service specifically. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1990.

The University of Natal was unique in South Africa for many years in that, unlike other South African universities, it was split between two geographically distant campuses, Pietermaritzburg and Durban. The research problem which was central to this study was to document the development of the libraries of the University of Natal from inception in 1910 to the point of merger at the end of 2003 in order to arrive at an understanding of how the libraries in the two centres, Durban and Pietermaritzburg, developed. Linked to the central problem were two sub-problems which were, firstly to discover whether the two libraries had, as stated by a highly placed University Task Team, developed “too independently ...” (1) was true or at least partially true and secondly to find out whether the personalities of individual University Librarians had a significant influence on the development of the libraries. In order to solve the research problem and the two sub-problems as well as to guide the structure of the chapters, four research questions were posed: • What administrative problems were encountered as the libraries expanded and how did the dual-centred nature of the University affect their development? • What level of financial support did the University provide to the libraries and was this sufficient? • What impact did the introduction of information and communications technology (ICT) have on the development of the libraries? and lastly; • What services were offered to users of the libraries and how did these differ between the two centres. The broad approach to the study is interpretative. It has been written as a narrative, with interpretations interwoven throughout the discussion, in chronological order to best show change over time. Understanding the present and anticipating and managing change with some measure of success depends to an extent on our appreciation and understanding of history. This study, by investigating the historical record of the nine decades of existence of the University of Natal Libraries, is not only a revelation of the past but will also, it is hoped, assist in identifying possible future trends in academic librarianship in South Africa, particularly as far as the management of multi-centred university libraries is concerned. The value of the study also lies in the consolidation and interpretation of information in numerous unpublished records and scattered, ephemeral resources. The historical research method was chosen for this study. Given the nature of the research problem it was deemed to be the optimal method for the collection and analysis of data. In order to gain an understanding of the problem, evidence was gathered from primary sources, such as letters, library committee minutes, memoranda, newsletters, photographs and reports, including library annual reports, as well as secondary sources. Oral testimonies assisted in verifying information pertaining to the written record, shedding light on certain events and providing added insight. The research undertaken for the study showed that an offer of a Library Fellowship by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, which would enable a staff member to undergo professional training in librarianship in the United States, was the catalyst for the unification of the two libraries. This system prevailed for 22 years. Thereafter the unitary library system was dismantled and the two libraries developed in completely different directions until economic necessity resulted in a concerted effort to bring the libraries together again in 1997, although this time as a federal rather than a unitary system. The research showed that the criticism that the two libraries had developed too independently was true and that a holistic approach to library services at the University of Natal was lacking. Secondly, the research also showed that the personalities of individual University Librarians did exert a significant influence on the development of the libraries although other elements also influenced their development. Although the study is an history of a university library rooted in a “first world” (2) culture there are lessons to be learnt which could be applied to other institutions, particularly in the context of post-apartheid South African higher education. Several dual- or multi-centred institutions now exist. The integration of different libraries, each with its own idiosyncrasies and its own ethos can be complex and is potentially divisive. There has to be institutional commitment to the idea of a unitary library system as the library service in any university is shaped to a large extent by the parent institution. The study was limited to an investigation of the historical record of the University of Natal Libraries. An historical analysis of university libraries on a national scale lay beyond the scope of this study. It was also limited to a focus on the institution itself and the difficulties encountered in the administration of a dual-centred library service rather than focusing on the library service from the users’ point of view. Lastly the study suggests several areas for future research. It is noted that there is a dearth of in-depth critical texts available on the history of South African university libraries. An historical analysis of university libraries on a national scale would become feasible if research is undertaken into the histories of more South African university libraries. (1) [University of Natal, Library Task Team], A report on the University of Natal Libraries submitted to the Executive Implementation Team, 1998, p. 31. (2) C. Darch & P. Underwood, Dirt road or yellow brick superhighway?, Library hi tech, vol. 17, no. 3, p. 285. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.